If you’re going to Chipotle while trying to limit the damage to your diet, you’ll want to go with a high protein bowl. That’s because you don’t really need the tortilla. It doesn’t add to the flavor, but it takes up a lot of your calorie and sodium allotments.

So, go with a high protein bowl instead. Try the following:

Chicken Bowl

You’ve got grilled chicken, along with the following:

• Guacamole
• Fajita vegetables
• Steamed whole-grain brown rice
• Romaine lettuce
• Fresh tomato salsa

Many consider this as your healthiest bowl option at Chipotle. You still get 39g of protein, which is quite a lot. But the bowl only comes with 550 calories, which is relatively low among Chipotle dishes. That’s not likely to wreck your diet plans.

The 49g carb content here is also only ⅓ of the carbs you get from a burrito. You get 23g of fat with just 5,235g of unsaturated fat. That’s positively benign, considering that you get 68g of fat from a carnitas burrito, with 23.5g of unsaturated fat.

The 1,072 mg of sodium here isn’t all that bad either, as the American Heart Association recommends that people don’t go over 2,300 mg of sodium each day. You can just go with low-sodium foods for the rest of the day.

Still, this is a tasty treat, so it’s not as if you’re consigning yourself with a bland meal. This is Chipotle, where bland food is just non-existent. With the Chicken Bowl, you get the flavor you need without totally wrecking your nutritional diet plan.

Steak Bowl

You can enjoy steak with these added ingredients in the bowl:

• White rice
• Pinto beans
• Tomatillo green-chili salsa
• Romaine lettuce
• Sour cream

This isn’t all that terrible either, with just 650 calories, along with 21g of fat and 9.5g of saturated fat. With the low 69g of carbs, you’re basically able to enjoy your steak without taking in too much fat and carbs along the way. Of course, you also get a whopping 41.5g of protein.

You’re also able to enjoy potassium, plus you get 12g of fiber to help fill you up. Fiber helps to slow down digestion. That way, you’re less likely to feel hungry anytime soon.

Sure, this does have 1,250mg of sodium. That’s still within the 2,300mg daily limit.

Sofritas Bowl

With your sofritas “meat”, you also get:

• Cheese
• Fresh tomato salsa
• Romaine lettuce
• Sour cream
• Pinto beans
• White rice

This is a popular option among vegetarians, as sofritas is made from tofu and it’s meant to be a meat substitute. It still comes with quite a bit of flavor, and the salty flavor is quite nice.

You still get 26.5g of protein from this dish. That’s one way of sticking to a vegetarian diet without worrying too much about where you’re getting your protein.

You only get 710 calories with the sofritas bowl, along with 32g of fat and 14g of unsaturated fat. The 1,630mg of sodium is a bit worrisome, so you should opt for low-sodium items for the rest of the day.

You do get 16.5g of fiber to keep you from food cravings any time soon. If you want to make this just a bit healthier, you can replace the white rice with the brown rice.

Barbacoa Bowl

With the barbacoa protein, you also get:

• Guacamole
• Cheese
• Black beans
• Tomatillo green-chili salsa
• Sour cream
• Fajita veggies
• Brown rice

Barbacoa is seasoned beef that’s been marinated overnight and then hand-shredded. It has fewer calories than steak and chicken, although you have to deal with a lot more sodium. But this bowl gives you 46g of protein.

The bowl actually comes loaded with 990 calories. You can skip the sour cream, and either the guacamole or the cheese. That should take out 355 calories, not to mention saving 12g of saturated fat and 405mg of sodium. And if you really have to have the sour cream, have it on the side, and use it carefully.

This bowl normally comes with 2,250mg of sodium, and that’s your sodium RDA right there. Taking out 405mg of sodium at least gives you a bit of leeway. You do get 24g of fiber, so you should feel filled up enough that you won’t think of snacks for hours afterwards.

Carnitas Bowl

This comes with the carnitas meat (obviously), along with the following ingredients:

• Guacamole
• Cheese
• Black beans
• Romaine lettuce
• Sour cream
• Brown rice
• Roasted chili-corn salsa

With 1,090 calories, 23g of saturated fat, 1,970mg of sodium, and 89g of carbs, it’s not exactly “healthy” by any definition. But no one’s disputing the tasty flavor, and it’s just so good and filling with the 25.5g of fiber.

Get this only on your diet off days, when you’re allowed to break the diet rules. This bowl breaks all the rules, although at least you get 48g of protein.

Final Words

Getting enough protein is important for everyone. But it’s especially crucial for athletes, as well as people who want to build bigger muscles. You can get that protein from Chipotle, and enjoy a great casual Mexican meal as well. Try a high protein bowl, and at least you’re trying to be healthier!